Indicators of Catchment Condition in the Intensive Land Use Zone of Australia – Human population density

Brief description

It should be noted that this data is now somwhat dated!

Human population density is a surrogate indicator of the extent of human
pressures on the surrounding landscapes.

Areas with high population density are associated with higher levels of stream
pollution and water diversion through sewers and drains. City and urban
environments are substantially changed from their pre-European condition but a
changed condition is not of itself necessarily poor by societal standards. It
is the impacts such as polluted run-off to waterways, air pollution, sewage
disposal, household water use and predation of wildlife by pets that confer
impacts on catchment condition. Human population centres have an impact well
beyond the built environment.

The impact of major population centres is well expressed in the AWRC map, but
is best displayed in the 500 map. The main areas of impact are the major
coastal and capital cities and suburbs, including popular beachside tourist
destinations. Elsewhere, the impact of population density appears to be
confined to the Murray and other major river valleys.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics compiles population statistics by sampling
statistical local areas (SLAas) through the national census. These data can be
converted to a per catchment basis.

Interpretation of the indicator is largely unequivocal, although there are
land-uses/activities (e.g. mining) where population density is not a good
indicator of the degree of habitat decline. This indicator has not been
validated relative to habitat decline. This indicator is easy to understand.

Data are available as:

* continental maps at 5km (0.05 deg) cell resolution for the ILZ;
* spatial averages over CRES defined catchments (CRES, 2000) in the ILZ;
* spatial averages over the AWRC river basins in the ILZ.

See [further metadata](http://data.daff.gov.au/anrdl/metadata_files/pa_iccilr9ab
__06121axx.xml) for more detail.

Full description

pa_iccilr9ab__06121axx.xml -